1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to caller identification systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to remote access of caller identification information.
2. Background of the Invention
Caller identification (ID) information provides call recipients with information about the incoming calls, such as calling party number and calling party name. The caller ID information is displayed to the called party on a caller ID device. The called party can use this information for a number of reasons, including for example, determining whether or not to answer the call.
In addition to displaying the caller ID information to the called party, many caller ID devices can to store caller ID information. The storage capability provides a convenient history of callers to the called party. This history is useful when the called party is not able to immediately answer the telephone call. For example, the called party may not be home, may be unavailable or may be already engaged in a telephone call. Thus, the called party can review the history stored in the caller ID device to see who called them.
Cordless telephones provide users with the convenience of mobility without the high costs associated with cellular telephones such as separate monthly service contracts. Moreover, cordless telephones operate over the public-telephone switched system (PSTN). Consequently, they are not susceptible to the kinds of service disruptions that can occur with using mobile telephones.
Cordless telephone systems are also able to receive and store caller ID information. Generally, the caller ID information is collected by the base unit and transmitted periodically to a cordless handset associated with the base unit for storage. In this manner, the cordless phone user has access the caller ID information in the handset so long as the handset is within range of the base unit. In addition, the caller ID information can be updated in the handset as new caller ID information is received so long as the handset is within range of the base unit.
However, the ability to transmit received caller ID information to the handset for storage is lost if the handset is outside the range of the base unit. For example, many cordless telephone handsets can be used with adapters that provide access to the PSTN, even without a base unit. For example, a cordless telephone user having such an adapter in his or her office can take a cordless telephone handset from their home to their office and use the cordless handset as their office telephone handset. However, because the telephone handset at the office is out-of-range of the base unit, caller ID information received at the base unit cannot be transmitted to the cordless handset. Consequently, the caller ID information stored in the cordless handset can quickly become stale. Thus, the ability to user caller ID information in conventional cordless telephone systems can impose limits on the mobility associated with such systems.